First grade

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Home : 2003 : September : 29

First grade
By Cathy-Dee

It depends on where you teach. I teach in Alberta where kindergarten is not mandatory so most students do not come into grade 1 reading. I teach them the skills they will need to learn how to read.

In general grades K
to 2 are what we call "basic skills grades). Grades 3 upwards build on those skills and move on into more knowledge based materials.
So a typical grade 1 class you would cover many of these things.
- reading
- sight words
- beginning spelling and writing
- beginning addition and subtraction
- measurement, shapes, patterns, counting, number recognition to at least 100 by

the end of grade 1.
- recognition of word families, rhyming words
- listening skills
- printing skills
- general concepts - up, down, behind, middle, in front, first, second, last, etc.,

Usually each State or Province has it's own standard for curriculum which you have to follow. If you know where you plan to teach you should be able to go to the web and find these plans and download them.

What I like about the younger grades - they love to learn! They are eager, love surprises, and usually want to come to school and learn. Marking is easier.

The downside to teaching ECS, grade 1 - they are much more dependant on you. You have a lot more preparation work with art, workbooks, centers, etc., And parents are often more difficult to work with as they are still holding on to their "babies".